1. The New Mexico State Standards Three Levels of Specificity Content Standard Benchmark Performance Standard

2. Content Standard A broad description of the knowledge and skills students should acquire in a particular subject area.

3. Content Standard Example Mathematics Content Standard 1 - NUMBER AND OPERATIONS: Students will understand numerical concepts and mathematical operations. K-4 Benchmark A. Understand numbers, ways of representing numbers, relationships among numbers, and number systems. Kindergarten Performance Standards: Kindergarten 1. Demonstrate an understanding of the place-value structure of the base-ten number system: count with understanding and recognize “how many” in sets of objects up to 20 read and write whole numbers up to 20 compare and order whole numbers up to 20 connect numerals to the quantities they represent using various physical models use an organized counting method to keep track of quantities while counting (one-to-one correspondence) (e.g., touch object once and only once as counting a set) order sets of objects and numbers from least to most or most to least

4. Benchmark A statement of what all students should know and be able to do in a content area by the end of designated grades or levels. kindergarten-grade 4 grade 5-grade 8 grade 9-grade 12 Consider them as checkpoints for evaluating progress towards achieving the content standards.

5. Benchmark Example Mathematics Content Standard 1 - NUMBER AND OPERATIONS: Students will understand numerical concepts and mathematical operations. K-4 Benchmark A. Understand numbers, ways of representing numbers, relationships among numbers, and number systems. Kindergarten Performance Standards: Kindergarten 1. Demonstrate an understanding of the place-value structure of the base-ten number system: count with understanding and recognize “how many” in sets of objects up to 20 read and write whole numbers up to 20 compare and order whole numbers up to 20 connect numerals to the quantities they represent using various physical models use an organized counting method to keep track of quantities while counting (one-to-one correspondence) (e.g., touch object once and only once as counting a set) order sets of objects and numbers from least to most or most to least

6. Performance Standard to know and be able to do (Think of them as objectives.) Concrete examples and explicit definitions of what students have to know and be able to do to demonstrate that such students are proficient in the skills and knowledge framed in the content standards. (Think of them as objectives.)

7. Performance Standard Example Mathematics Content Standard 1 - NUMBER AND OPERATIONS: Students will understand numerical concepts and mathematical operations. K-4 Benchmark A. Understand numbers, ways of representing numbers, relationships among numbers, and number systems. Kindergarten Performance Standards: Kindergarten 1. Demonstrate an understanding of the place-value structure of the base-ten number system: count with understanding and recognize “how many” in sets of objects up to 20 read and write whole numbers up to 20 compare and order whole numbers up to 20 connect numerals to the quantities they represent using various physical models use an organized counting method to keep track of quantities while counting (one-to-one correspondence) (e.g., touch object once and only once as counting a set) order sets of objects and numbers from least to most or most to least

8. Another example Social Studies Strand: History Content Standard 1 - Students are able to identify important people and events in order to analyze significant patterns, relationships, themes, ideas, beliefs, and turning points in New Mexico, United States, and world history in order to understand the complexity of the human experience. 5-8 Benchmark 1-A. New Mexico: Explore and explain how people and events have influenced the development of New Mexico up to the present day. Performance Standards: Grade 5 1. Describe changes of governance of New Mexico (e.g., indigenous, Spanish, Mexican, French, Texan, United States). 2. Explain the reasons for European exploration of the Americas.

9. A third example Language Arts Strand: Reading and Listening for Comprehension Content Standard 1 - Students will apply strategies and skills to comprehend information that is read, heard, and viewed. 9-12 Benchmark I-B: Synthesize and evaluate information to solve problems across the curriculum Performance Standards: Grade 11 1. Conduct research using data from in-depth field studies. 2. Synthesize information from multiple research studies to draw conclusions that go beyond those found in any of the individual studies. 3. Inform an audience by using a variety of media to research and explain insights. 4. Demonstrate proficiency in accessing and sending information electronically.